Softshell pants / tights???

I am looking for a pair of stretchy softshell type pants...almost like running pants I guess. I would like them to be fairly close fitting, would prefer an elastic waist vs. belt, and they need to have pockets. I'm not looking for something that is water proof or insulated...just a good pair of pants for general use in cool or cold weather.

What do you recommend?

I have found the following products that seem to fit my desires: Patagonia Traverse, OR Vert, TNF Everest pants, and MH Tanglewood pants (although these have a belt) the Arc Teryx Gamma LT (also have a belt but I have read good reviews).


thanks
Matt

My favorite pants are the Patagonia Cold Track Light pants, now called the Traverse pants. They're fairly light, stretch, have front pockets, breathe really well, and they aren't ridiculously expensive. I also bought the Traverse jacket, I highly recommend both.

I would suggest start looking at REI Acme pants and pants from beyondfleece... but that said, there are a lot of good options. I have been using a pair of the original Marmot ATV pants made from dryskin for several years and love them.

--mark

MEC used to have a nice line of relatively inexpensive soft-shell stuff & I expect they still do.

SS pants are popular and doubtless for very good reasons, but just personally, I think light-weight nylon pants of conventional weave are much cheaper and useful in a much wider range of conditions (with long underwear in reserve).

I don't bother with the zip-off feature, but I bet that's good too.

My reason for wanting a pants like these is more for comfort reasons. I agree that a pair of supplex pants combined with a base layer is a more versatile combination, but I have found that these pants are always uncomfortable for me.

The belt digs in, they fall down, etc.

It just seems that a pair of pants with an elastic waist that fit like a pair of sweats might be more comfortable, especially while backpacking where the pack belt always pushes my pants down and jams belts and buckles into my side.

Matt

Actually, the Traverse pants work incredibly well with a good base layer. I used them quite a bit last winter with a pair of midweight Smartwool tights, extremely warm and wind proof. The four way stretch is sweet, I doubt if even a world class gymnast could move in a way that they would restrict.

Like I said in another thread, I liked the pants so well I emailed Patagonia and begged them to make a jacket and a pullover out of the material. And then they did!

I also have a pair of Ibex guide pants and a pair of Patagonia French Roast. I still use the Ibex for really cold days, but the French Roasts have been relegated to the golf course.

Patty sold me on the Traverse pants. They were one of the ones I was looking at and seemed to have all the features that I want.

Not sure if they will fit me though so I ordered two sizes. Hopefully one will. Unfortunately I am short and stocky so anything big enough for my wasit is usually too long.

Maybe I can get by with the smaller size given that the have an elastic wasit. Hopefully.

If they don't end up fitting though I will still be looking!


thanks
Matt

I have the same build and require rather oddly sized pants. Last winter I bought a custom-sized pair of Alpine Tights from www.Wildthingsgear.com. These are not cheap, but, are of superb quality and Marie is just excellent to deal with, I HIGHLY recommend these for cold weather hiking and snowshoing, even skating and skiing.

Curious if you've gotten the tights yet and what your impressions have been...

I did get them. I didn't really like them though. A bit of a funny fit. Too bad. Going back to Patagonia.


Matt

Bummer. That's the one issue I've found with Patagonia, the fit. Some of their stuff fits me like a glove, some of it doesn't. Sometimes the arms or legs are too short, sometimes too long. Or the torso is too tight.

They are my favorite pants, the medium is tailor made for me.